The Foster Care Program is based on the belief that a family and community is the most beneficial and desirable environment for raising a child.  The goal of the foster care program is to return a child to his or her own family as soon as possible.

Planning for a child is a team effort.  The team includes the child, the natural family, the foster family, the caseworker, band designate and other involved parties.  Foster care goals can be successfully met when everyone works in partnership.

Foster parents are significant partners who help children who need a safe, caring place to call home. Foster parents receive financial compensation, training and support for the care they provide foster children.  In Alberta, they are required to take 24 hours of Orientation Training prior to approval and then have up to four years to complete the 31 core courses or 93 hours of training. Once foster parents have completed their core training, they are required to take 12 hours of Supplemental training per year to keep up their license.

Training occurs on a regular basis according to a set schedule for the required and optional courses. Video conferencing is available weekly from eight video conference sites within Central Alberta including: Drayton Valley, Wetaskiwin, Rocky Mountain House, Red Deer, Didsbury, Olds, Drumheller and Stettler. Click on the training links to see a list of available training dates and to download the core training registration form.